Nitish Kumar (born 1 March 1951)
He is an Indian politician who has served as Bihar’s chief minister since 22 February 2015, holding the position for a record 9 terms. He previously served from 2005 to 2014 and briefly in 2000.
Kumar leads the Janata Dal (United) and was a Union Minister with the Samata Party before merging it into Janata Dal (United) in 2003. He entered politics with the Janata Dal, became an MLA in 1985, and later founded the Samata Party in 1994. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 and served as a Union Minister under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In 2005, he became chief minister with an NDA coalition. The coalition won the 2010 state elections, but Kumar broke away from the BJP in 2013 over Narendra Modi’s prime ministerial candidacy, forming the Mahagathbandhan with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress. After a defeat in the 2014 general election, Kumar resigned but returned as chief minister in February 2015 following a political crisis. The Mahagathbandhan won the 2015 state elections, but Kumar rejoined the NDA in 2017 after breaking with the RJD over corruption. His government was narrowly re elected in 2020. Kumar left the NDA for the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, but rejoined the NDA in January 2024.
Politics:
Nitish Kumar, born 1 March 1951, is an influential Indian politician associated with socialist ideals. He began his political career influenced by figures like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan, and initially joined the Janata Party led by Satyendra Narain Sinha. Known for his communication skills, Kumar first won a state assembly seat from Harnaut in 1985 and supported Lalu Prasad Yadav as leader of the opposition in 1989 before aligning with the BJP in 1996 after winning a Lok Sabha seat from Barh.
In 1994, Kumar helped found the Samata Party, which later merged with Janata Dal (United) in 2003, creating JD(U). The 1999 Lok Sabha elections saw a successful BJP–JD(U) coalition, leading to speculation that the Lalu-Rabri era in Bihar was ending. However, the political scene in Bihar remained complex, with divisions among parties and caste-based dynamics influencing outcomes.
In 2004, Kumar briefly served as Union Minister for Railways, where he implemented reforms like online ticket booking and the tatkal scheme, but resigned following the Gaisal train disaster. He later rejoined the Union Cabinet as Minister for Agriculture and Railways until 2004, when he was elected from Nalanda but lost his Barh seat.
Kumar’s political career is marked by significant shifts, including his departure from the NDA in 2013 to form a coalition with the RJD and Congress, and later rejoining the NDA in 2017. His role in shaping Bihar’s politics has been pivotal, demonstrating his strategic maneuvering and influence.
CM of Bihar:
As a member of the Janata Dal (United) and Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar has implemented significant reforms. His achievements include appointing over 100,000 school teachers, ensuring doctors’ presence in primary health centers, electrifying numerous villages, paving roads, reducing female illiteracy by half, combating crime to improve law and order, and doubling the average income of Bihari’s.
1st Term:
In March 2000, Nitish Kumar was appointed Chief Minister of Bihar for the first time, following the request of the Vajpayee Government. As a Samata Party member, he led the NDA and its allies, who had 151 MLAs, while Lalu Prasad Yadav‘s alliance held 159 MLAs in the 324-member house. Neither alliance had the majority of 163 seats. Kumar resigned before he could test his support in the house, serving only 7 days in office.
2nd Term:
Following his victory in the 2005 Bihar Assembly elections, Nitish Kumar, a leader of the OBC Kurmi caste, was sworn in as Chief Minister. Under Lalu Prasad Yadav, backward caste candidates had come to dominate the Bihar assembly, claiming half of the seats. This dominance led to internal friction among backward castes, paving the way for Kumar. He focused on both social justice and development as key themes of his administration.
3rd Term:
Under Nitish Kumar‘s government, initiatives such as bicycle distribution for girls and meal programs significantly improved school enrollment and reduced dropout rates. The bicycle scheme particularly helped increase the number of girls attending school.
In 2010, Kumar’s party, in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, won a decisive victory with 206 seats, while the RJD secured only 22. This election saw a high turnout of women and young voters and was noted for its fairness, with no violence or bloodshed.
However, on 17 May 2014, Kumar resigned as Chief Minister after his party performed poorly in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, securing just 2 seats compared to 20 in the previous election. He took moral responsibility for the defeat, and Jitan Ram Manjhi succeeded him as Chief Minister.
4th Term:
Nitish Kumar briefly served a fourth term as Chief Minister starting 22 February 2015. This period was marked by the upcoming 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, which was considered his toughest challenge yet. To counter the BJP, Kumar’s JD(U) formed the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) with the RJD and Congress.
5th Term:
During the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections, Nitish Kumar campaigned vigorously for the Grand Alliance, addressing allegations from Narendra Modi and the BJP. The Grand Alliance won by a significant margin of 178 seats over the BJP and its allies. The RJD emerged as the largest party with 80 seats, while the JD(U) came in second with 71 seats. Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister for a record fifth term on 20 November 2015, with Tejashwi Yadav as Deputy Chief Minister.
Kumar’s campaign was managed by Prashant Kishor’s Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which developed an innovative strategy. This included widespread voter outreach with branded bicycles, door-to-door campaigns under “Har Ghar Dastak,” and the DNA campaign.
6th Term:
When corruption charges were brought against Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish Kumar requested his resignation. The Rashtriya Janata Dal refused, leading Kumar to resign on 26 July 2017, thereby ending the Grand Alliance. Within hours, Kumar aligned with the NDA, and he was reinstated as Chief Minister.
7th Term:
Leveraging his 15 consecutive years as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar emphasized his administration’s achievements and various development schemes to win a closely contested election. The NDA secured a majority in the Legislature Assembly with 125 seats, compared to the Mahagathbandhan’s 110. Kumar was sworn in for his seventh term as Chief Minister on 27 November 2020, with top NDA leaders present.
On 8 December 2020, Sushil Kumar Modi, his deputy, was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar to fill the seat vacated by Ram Vilas Paswan’s death. Kumar resigned on 16 August 2020 but returned as Chief Minister with new deputies Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi.
However, on 9 August 2022, Kumar resigned again and withdrew his party from the NDA, rejoining the Mahagathbandhan to form a new coalition government with the RJD and Congress.
8th Term:
On 9 August 2022, Nitish Kumar ended his alliance with the BJP, resigned as Chief Minister, and withdrew his party from the NDA. He then rejoined the Mahagathbandhan, which included the RJD, INC, CPI, and other independents, to form a new coalition government. The next day, on 10 August, he was sworn in as Chief Minister for the eighth time in 22 years.
During this term, Kumar launched the Samadhan Yatra in January–February 2023, visiting localities across Bihar to review and expedite the implementation of government schemes. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and occasionally by cabinet ministers.
On 8 November 2023, the Bihar Assembly was adjourned due to protests from the opposition BJP, which demanded Kumar’s resignation over controversial remarks about women’s education and population control. Kumar apologized for any offense caused and retracted his statements, reaffirming his commitment to women’s education and empowerment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Kumar indirectly, and a complaint was filed against him with a hearing scheduled for 25 November 2023. Women’s organizations condemned Kumar’s remarks, while former Chief Minister Rabri Devi defended him, suggesting it was a slip of the tongue.
9th Term
On 28 January 2024, Kumar resigned as Chief Minister, ending his alliance with the Mahagathbandhan, and rejoined the NDA. He was immediately sworn in for his ninth term as Chief Minister, marking his return to the BJP-led coalition.
Political Disputes:
Nitish Kumar is frequently criticized for his shifting political alliances, often changing and discarding partnerships to maintain his position as Chief Minister. This pattern has earned him the nickname “Paltu Ram,” which refers to someone who frequently changes their allegiance.